Sealed package



R. G. BUSH SEALED PACKAGE Oct. 15, 1968 Filed April 5, 1967 UnitedStates Patent O M' 3,405,861 SEALED PACKAGE Robert G. Bush, Green Bay,Wis., assigner to L. D. Schreiber Cheese Company, Inc., a corporation ofWisconsin Filed Apr. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 627,807 Claims. (Cl. 229-51)ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A sealed package, at least in part comprisedof a flexible plastic wrapper having a lap joint formed from outer andinner overlapping end portions with the outer end portion constituting amanually grippable flap, and a separator structure interposed betweenthe overlapping end portions and positioned adjacent to and along thefree edge of the upper end portion for spacing the free edge of theupper end portion away from the lower end portion and for identifyingthe location of the free edge so the free edge may be readily grippedfor peeling the Hap from the lower end portion to open the package.

Background The formation of many packages from plastic wrappingmaterial, particularly in the food industry, is becoming increasinglywidespread. Such plastic wrappers are used often in combination with acardboard backing, eg., in the packaging of meat slices such as coldcuts, or may be used without such backing to form a complete package.Typical of those products which are enclosed in all plastic packages areindividually wrapped slices of cheese and similar products which arecompletely enclosed and sealed within the iiexible plastic wrapper.

These type products are generally sealed within their packages toprevent their contact with the atmosphere, since such atmosphericexposure often causes the product to spoil or to harden therebyrendering it unsuitable for consumption. In all of these packages,although they take many shapes and forms, one problem that arises is todesign sealed package so that it may be readily opened by the user.

For example, in the production of individually wrapped cheese slices,individual slices are wrapped in a tube having its opposite sidestransversely sealed together at longitudinally spaced intervals to forma plurality of sealed interconnected packages which may, if desired, besevered to form individually wrapped slices, The tube may readily beformed from a sheet of material with its opposite end portions foldedinto overlapping i relationship to define a lap joint with theoverlapping outer and inner end portions sealed together so the outerend portion constitutes a manually grippable iiap. However in thesecongurations it is quite ditlicult not only to identify the location offree edge of the upper overlapping end portion, but even when the freeedge is located, it is often difficult to get a grip on it in order topeel it back and thereby open the package.

General description of invention In accordance with the presentinvention, there is provided a sealed package comprised, at least inpart of a exible plastic wrapper constructed with a lap joint formedfrom outer and inner overlapping end portions with the outer end portionconstituting a manually grippable iiap and in which the location of thefree edge of the tiap is identified to allow the ap to be peeled backfrom the inner end portion to open the package. The free edge may beidentified by imprinting a suitable legend or marking adjacent theretoor by a separator structure interposed between the overlapping endportions and positioned adqacent to and along the free edge 3,405,861Patented Oct. 15, 1968 of the upper end portion for spacing said freeedge away from the lower end portion whereby the free edge may bereadily gripped to allow for peeling of the flap back from the lower endportion.

More specifically the separator structure can be formed as part of theflap and project towards the inner end portion to eifect the desiredseparation. In one embodiment, an elongated strip of material is heatsealed along one edge of the flap adjacent its free edge and may, ifdesirable, -be inwardly odset a small amount from the free edge. Whenthe flap joint is formed the strip is interposed between the outer andinner end portions to space the free edge from the inner end portion sothe free edge can be readily gripped. In addition, the strip maycontrast with the wrapping material, which is often of a clear generallytransparent material, to readily identify the location of the free edgeof the ap.

Additional separation between the free edge of the Hap and the inner endportions may be provided by heat sealing the strip to the ap whilesubjecting the flap and strip to ditferent tensions. This difference intensions results, after cooling of the heat seal, in the puckering ofthe wrapper. Since this puckering prevents the iiap from lying smoothlyon the inner end portion, the free edge is yet more easily gripped bythe user when he desires to open the package.

Separation between flap and the inner end portion may also be eilectedby folding the liap, either around the edge back under the strip toincrease its thickness, or independently of any strip. Alternatively theseparator structure can take the form of embossments or dimples formedin the ilap and projecting towards the inner end portion, or mayincorporate combinations of the above.

Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome readily apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention and one embodiment thereof, from the claims, and from theaccompanying drawings in which each and every detail shown is fully andcompletely disclosed as part of this specification, in which likereference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

The drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a package incorporatingthe present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the package of FIGURE 1 takenalong lines 2 2;

FIGURES 3, 4a, 4b and 5 are enlarged sectional views similar to FIGURE 2showing alternative embodiments; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another type of package incorporatingthe present invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown apackage 10 incorporating the present invention in which a flexibleplastic wrapper 12 completely encloses and seals a product 14therewithin. The package 10 shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 incorporates an allplastic wrapper such as is used in the formation of individually wrappedcheese slices as described hereinabove. In this type of package thewrapper 12 is formed into a tube around the product and is thentransversely sealed at longitudinally spaced intervals 14 to form aplurality of interconnected packages 10, 10a. Each of the packages maybe severed from the tube along the transverse seal to form the package10 shown in the drawings.

The tube is formed by overlapping opposite edges 16, 18 of the wrapper12 over each other to form a lap joint 20 having outer and inner endportions 22, 24, respectively, the outer end portion constituting agrippable Hap.

If desirable, the overlapping end portions may be sealed together tocompletely enclose the product within the package. A separator strip 26is heat sealed to the ap 22 adjacent to and along its free edge 16. Thestrip 26 is interposed between the outer and inner end portions 22, 24and projects towards the inner end portion to space the free edge 16 ofthe ap 22 away from the inner end portion. As seen more clearly inFIGURE 2, the strip may be inwardly oiiset a short distance from thefree edge 16.

In many instances the wrapper 12 is made up from a generally transparentplastic material and for this reason the location of the free edge 16 ofthe Hap 22 is often unidentiliable. The separator strip 26 in thesecircumstances may be formed from a material of contrasting structure orcolor which readily identities the location of the free edge. Asexplained above, the separator strip 26 can be sealed to the ap 22 whilethey are subjected to different tensions. As a result, upon cooling, thewrapper 12 puckers in the area where the strip 26 is heat sealed to thewrapper prevents the free edge 16 from lying smoothly on the inner endportion.

As seen in FIGURE 3, the separation between the free edge 16 and theinner end portion 24 may be increased by folding the actual edge of theupper end portion back underneath the separator strip 26. This increasesthe thickness of the free edge 16' and allows it to be more readilygripped for opening of the package. If desirable, as shown in FIGURES 4aand 4b, the free edge 16 may be formed by folding the actual edge of theupper end portion back either under or over the flap 22 without anyseparator strip to effect the desired separation.

Alternatively, as seen in FIGURE 5, the separator structure may beformed integrally with the outer end portion. The separator structureillustrated in FIGURE is formed by embossing or dimpling the flap 22a sothat the dimples or embossments 26a project towards the inner endportion 24. Not only do these serrations or dimples 26a separate theflap 22a from the inner end portion 24, but the roughened area adjacentthe free edge 16a identifies the location of the free edge to allow foreasy opening of the package.

Referring to FIGURE 6 there is shown a typical package 28 which iscommonly found in the packaging of cold cut slices. In this package theplastic wrapping 30 around the product is encased within a cardboardframe 32. However, these packages are also quite diliicult to open andthe use of the lap joint construction with the identifying separatorstructure is also useful for opening this type package.

In any of the various embodiments, identification of the grippable edgemay be effected by printing or otherwise placing a suitable edgeidentification legend, e.g., a stripe or arrows, adjacent to the edge.

Thus there is shown and disclosed a package in which a lap joint isformed by overlapping end portions of a plastic material and in which aseparator structure disposed between the overlapping end portions spacesthe end portions apart to allow the free edge to be readily gripped toopen the package. The location of the free edge of the lap joint isreadily identified, either by the separator structure itself or by someother legend disposed adjacent thereto, in order to assist in theopening of the package.

It will be readily observed from the foregoing detailed description ofthe invention and the illustrated embodiments thereof that numerousvariations and modifications may be effected without departing from thetrue spirit and scope of the novel concepts and principles of thisinvention.

I claim:

1. In a sealed package including a exible wrapper of sheet materialcovering a product to be packaged, said wrapper having a lap jointformed from overlapping outer and inner end portions with the outer endportion constituting a manually grippable flap, the improvementcomprising a separator structure interposed between said overlapping endportions and positioned adjacent to and along the free edge of saidouter end portion for spacing said free edge away from said inner endportion, said separator structure comprising an elongated strip attachedto the surface of one of said end portions, whereby said free edge maybe readily gripped and said flap readily separated from the lower endportion to open the package.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which said elongated stripidentities the location of said free edge.

3. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which said elongated strip is heatsealed to the surface of said upper end portion and is inwardly offsetfrom said free edge.

4. A package as claimed in claim 2 in which said wrapper issubstantially transparent and said elongated strip is of contrastingcolor.

5. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the upper end portionispuckered in the area where said strip is sealed thereto.

6. A package as claimed in claim 1 including an edge identificationlegend located adjacent said free edge.

'7. A package as claimed in claim 6 in which said legend is a stripe ofcolor contrasting to said wrapper printed on said ap along and adjacentto said free edge.

8. Sealed packages comprised of a flexible tubular wrapper filled with aproductand being transversely sealed at longitudinally spaced intervalsto form individual product containing packages, said tubular wrapperhaving a continuous longitudinal lap joint formed from overlapping outerand inner end portions with the outer end portion constituting amanually grippable ap, and a separator structure interposed between saidoverlapping end portions and positioned adjacent to and along the freeedge of said outer end portion for spacing said free edge away from saidinner end portion, said separator structure including a continuouselongated strip heat sealed to the surface of said upper end portion andinwardly offset from said free edge, whereby said free edge may bereadily gripped and said flap readily separated from the lower endportion to open the package.

9. Packages as claimed in claim 8 in which said wrapper is substantiallytransparent and said elongated strip is of contrasting color whereby thelocation of said free edge is identified.

10. Packages as claimed in claim 8 in which the upper end portion ispuckered in the area where said elongated strip is sealed thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,333 9/1936 Burke 229-872,370,079 2/1945 Schmidt 229--66 X 3,061,091 10/1962 Wichman 99-178 X3,113,715 12/1963 Pangrac 229--53 3,224,574 12/ 1965 McConnell et al206-56 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary tExamner.

